Rooted in Cheyenne And Cheyenne Rotary Team up to Provide Free Trees to Low Income Residents

Rooted in Cheyenne and Cheyenne Rotary Noon are pleased to announce a new partnership which will offer 18 trees to Cheyenne homeowners who meet income eligibility guidelines. Rooted in Cheyenne is a street tree planting program which started in 2017. For $50.00 per tree, typically paid for by the homeowner, Rooted in Cheyenne volunteers plant, mulch, stake, and water each tree for 12 months. Cheyenne Urban Forestry coordinates the program, but no city funding is used. Generous sponsors pay for the remaining cost of the tree and supplies (approximately $100.00 per tree).

Cheyenne Rotary is excited to fully fund this program for those households who could not otherwise participate, due to the $50.00 per tree cost. Through Cheyenne Rotary’s generous donation, 15 no-cost trees are available to lower-income households. An additional 3 no-cost trees are available to homeowners through tree scholarship donations made by individual community members.

Cheyenne Rotary Noon is providing $2,400.00, including a Rotary District 5440 matching grant, and will pay for 15 trees, staking materials, and watering bags for all trees. This grant aligns with Rotary International’s challenge to plant trees locally and encourage environmental stewardship and sustainability in every community Rotary serves. Mark Ellison, President of Rooted in Cheyenne says, “This partnership with Rotary will expand Rooted in Cheyenne’s reach across the community and insure all homeowners have the opportunity to reap the benefits that trees provide.” The Cheyenne Rotary Club (noon) has 172 active members, and Rotary International has 1.2 million members worldwide; all dedicated to Rotary’s mission of:

• Promoting peace
• Fighting disease
• Providing clean water
• Saving mothers and children
• Supporting education
• Growing local economies

“Rooted in Cheyenne aligns perfectly with many of the goals of Rotary International in supporting the environment, local economies and the well being of all citizens in the communities we serve,” according to Don Day, President of Cheyenne Noon Rotary. “The Rotary Club of Cheyenne encourages all citizens and other service organizations to support Rooted in Cheyenne. Together, our work and support now will last and will be seen in this community for decades.”

To be eligible to receive the no-cost trees, you must own the property where the tree is to be planted, have room within or adjoining the street right-of-way and meet income guidelines. There is a simple application which may be completed online at https://rootedincheyenne.com/apply/ Applicants may also call the Cheyenne Urban Forestry Division at 307-637-6428 for application questions.

Once we receive your application, Rooted in Cheyenne will perform a site visit to insure there is room to plant your tree, and then send species selection form. Species available for spring planting are: Cottonwood, Accolade Elm, Littleleaf Linden, Sensation Maple, Norway Maple, Hackberry, Honeylocust, Autumn Brilliance Buckeye, Bur Oak, American Linden, Tartarian Maple, and Flowering Crabapple. Species photos and information may be viewed at rootedincheye2.wpengine.com/trees/.

Trees will be planted on Saturday, May 19th, 2018, by community volunteers, green industry crew leaders, and Cheyenne Urban Forestry staff. They will be watered approximately every 10 days during the growing season, and monthly during the winter by Rooted in Cheyenne Volunteers.
Apply for your no cost tree today at https://rootedincheyenne.com/apply/ or call 307-637-6428